Handshower slide mechanism

ABSTRACT

A handshower slide includes a bar with a passageway, a slide mechanism positioned along a length of the bar, and a showerhead holder movable with the slide mechanism along the length of the bar. The slide mechanism includes a handle and a cam, and the cam is positioned within the passageway and is rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the bar. The slide mechanism is not movable along the length of the bar while the cam is in the first orientation and is movable along the length of the bar while the cam is in the second orientation. An orientation of the cam is correlated to a position of the handle, and a spring is coupled to the handle and the cam, so that the spring biases the cam toward the first orientation and away from the second orientation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit as a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/181,180 filed on Feb. 14, 2014, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present application relates generally to the field of adjustableshower or handshower holders. The showerhead may be located on aslidebar (either directly or indirectly within a showerhead holderattached to the slidebar). The showerhead may be moved along theslidebar to allow the user to adjust the vertical position of theshowerhead. The angle of the showerhead (or the showerhead holder) mayalso be adjusted or tilted according to the user's preference.

Typically, the showerhead holder grips around the outside of theslidebar with a squeezing, tightening, or clamping force/mechanism. Allof the force is exerted from the outside of the slidebar. For example, arubber or plastic pad with a metal backing plate or plastic squeezingcollar may be used to grip the outside of the slidebar. The clampingforce may be controlled with a handle correlated to a compression springor interior threads.

However, if the handle is released or dropped before the backing plateor squeezing collar is fully engaged or locked with the slidebar orlocked into position, the showerhead holder may freefall along theslidebar, potentially resulting in damage to the product or injury tothe user, particularly if the handshower and holder are heavy.

SUMMARY

One embodiment relates to a handshower slide, the handshower slidecomprising a bar with a passageway and a slide mechanism positionedalong a length of the bar. The slide mechanism comprises a handle, acam, and a shower holder. The cam is positioned within the passagewayand is rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientationrelative to the bar. The slide mechanism is secured along the length ofthe bar while the cam is in the first orientation and movable along thelength of the bar while the cam is in the second orientation. Anorientation of the cam is controlled by a spring and is biased towardthe first orientation and the handle is coupled the slide mechanismthrough the spring and an orientation of the cam is correlated to aposition of the handle. The cam is configured to be movable from thefirst orientation to the second orientation by an external force on thehandle that overcomes the force of the spring and frictionally engagesthe cam with the bar.

Another embodiment relates to an adjustable holding mechanism comprisinga bar having an elongated opening leading to an internal passage, a camdisposed within the internal passage and rotatable between a firstposition, a handle coupled to the cam through the elongated opening, anda spring coupled to the handle and a movable body of the holdingmechanism. The cam is frictionally engaged with the bar and a secondposition where the cam is movable along the internal passage. The springis configured to bias the handle and the cam toward the first position.

Another embodiment relates to an adjustable handshower slide comprisinga bar with an interior passageway accessible through an elongatedopening, a cam movable along a length of the passageway and at leastpartially covered by a gripping material, a handle coupled to the camthrough the elongated opening, wherein a position of the cam is directlycorrelated to an orientation of the handle, and a movable base includinga shower holder. The cam is rotatable between a first position where thecam is not movable within the passageway and a second position where thecam is movable along the passageway. The handle is rotatably attached tothe base with a spring and the spring is biased to move the handle andthe cam to the first position.

The foregoing is a summary and thus by necessity containssimplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail. Consequently,those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary isillustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Otheraspects, inventive features, and advantages of the devices and/orprocesses described herein, as defined solely by the claims, will becomeapparent in the detailed description set forth herein and taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description, appendedclaims, and the accompanying exemplary embodiments shown in thedrawings, which are briefly described below.

FIG. 1 is a partial breakaway, perspective front view of a handshowerslide according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial breakaway, perspective back view of the handshowerslide of FIG. 1 including a handshower holder, a slide mechanism, and abar.

FIG. 3 is a partial breakaway, perspective front view of a handshowerholder, a slide mechanism, and a bar that may be used with thehandshower slide of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial breakaway, front view of the handshower slide ofFIG. 1 in a locked position.

FIG. 5 is a partial breakaway, front view of the handshower slide ofFIG. 1 in an unlocked position.

FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of the handshower holder andslide mechanism of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional, side view of the slide mechanism and barof FIG. 1.

FIG. 7B is a perspective view of a spring that may be disposed withinthe slide mechanism of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 7C is a perspective view of a handle that may be disposed withinthe slide mechanism of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 partial breakaway, front view of the handshower slide of FIG. 1in a locked position.

FIG. 9 is a partial breakaway, side view of the handle, a cam, and aspring that may be disposed in the handshower slide of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a handle that may be disposed withinthe handshower slide of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional top view of the handshower slide of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a partially exploded and partial breakaway perspective viewof the handshower slide of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are perspective views of springs that may be disposedwithin the handshower holder on the handshower slide of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a perspective back view of a handshower slide according toone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective front view of the handshower slide of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an exploded, perspective view of a slide mechanism that maybe disposed within the handshower slide of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a handle, cam, and spring that may bedisposed within the handshower slide of FIG. 14.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the slide mechanism that may bedisposed within the handshower slide of FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring generally to the figures, disclosed herein is a showerheadslide, as shown according to exemplary embodiments, that may be used tohold a showerhead and allow the position and angle of the showerhead tobe adjusted and automatically or manually locked into position. Theshowerhead slide and methods described herein may be used in a varietyof non-shower related applications, wherein it would be desirable toadjustably hold and automatically lock one member relative to another.In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the showerheadslide is utilized as a handshower slide to hold a handshower, to allowthe vertical position and angle of the handshower to be adjustable, aswell as to automatically secure the handshower into the desiredposition.

More specifically, the handshower slide provides a handshower holderthat is movable and securable along an inner passage or elongatedopening of a shaft or bar. The handshower holder is attached to a camwithin the passage and the cam exerts a force along the inside of thebar in a first locked position or orientation to secure the handshowerholder along the bar. In order to move the handshower holder along thebar, the cam may be moved to a second moveable, unlocked position ororientation by rotating a handle. Turning or rotating the handle alsorotates the cam into the second unlocked position, which reduces oreliminates the force exerted along the passage and allows the handshowerholder to be moved. Once the handle is released, the cam willautomatically rotate back to the first locked position due to aninternal spring, such as a torsion spring. Therefore, even if thehandshower holder is not actively or manually locked along the bar, thehandshower holder will not freefall along the bar due to the automaticlocking mechanism.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a handshower slide 20 thatis shown to include a bar 30, a handshower holder 50, and a slidemechanism 70, according to the present invention. The handshower holder50 may be used to removably or permanently secure a shower head, such asa handshower head (not shown), along the bar 30. The slide mechanism 70may be used to move and secure the handshower holder 50 along the bar30. When no external force is being applied to move the slide mechanism70, the slide mechanism 70 will automatically lock to the bar 30.Although a handshower holder 50 is shown in FIG. 1, the handshower slide20 may be used with a variety of applications in which one mechanism ismovably secured with respect to a stationary piece. However, thehandshower slide 20 is particularly useful with any type of showerheador showerhead holder.

As shown in FIG. 1, according to the desired positioning, the handshowerholder 50 may be moved and secured along the length of the bar 30 byutilizing the slide mechanism 70 (as discussed later). The bar 30 may beoriented according to any desired configuration. For example, the bar 30may be vertical (as shown), horizontal, or at any angle there between.Further, the bar 30 may be straight or curved. As shown in FIG. 1, thevertical bar 30 may allow the height of the handshower holder 50 (andtherefore the showerhead) to be adjusted according to the desiredheight. For example, the handshower holder 50 may be lowered for ease ofuse for seated users or shorter users, such as children.

Although a handshower holder 50 is shown, it is anticipated that ashowerhead or a showerhead holder may be used with the handshower slide20. The handshower holder 50 may allow the showerhead to be removed fromthe wall or bar 30 and allows the user to hold the handshower.

The bar 30 may be any shape or size, according to the desiredconfiguration. For example, the bar 30 may have a cross-sectional shapethat is rectangular (as shown), oval, circular, round, elliptical, oranother suitable shape. The other components of the handshower slide 20,such as the slide mechanism 70, may be shaped and sized accordingly. Thebar 30 may be at least partially hollow, in that the bar 30 may providean open and inner or interior channel, region, slot, shaft, passage, orpassageway 36 along the length of the bar 30 to allow an internalmechanism, such as the slide mechanism 70, move along and at leastpartially within. The slide mechanism 70 may, therefore, be at leastpartially concealed within the bar 30, hiding unsightly mechanismswithin the bar 30. The bar 30 may further include an elongated openingcommunicating with the passageway 36 to provide at least partial accessto the inner passageway along at least a length of the bar 30 (e.g. thebar 30 may not be completely enclosed along the hollow region). Theslide mechanism 70 may access the inner passageway through the elongatedopening. The elongated opening may be positioned on any side (ormultiple sides) of the bar 30 (e.g. front, back, and/or side).

The bar 30 may be secured to a wall (e.g. a shower wall) through avariety of different mechanisms. For example, one or more wall posts 32may be used along any portion of the bar 30. The wall posts 32 may beattached to the bar 30 and a wall through a variety of differentmechanisms and configurations, including screws, clips, tape, glue, orwelding.

At least one wall post 32 may include an integral water supply 34 toprovide or supply water to the handshower head. The water supply 34 maybe, for example, a bar or hose. For example, the water supply 34 may beformed integrally within the wall post 32 or the water supply 34 may bea separate piece from the wall post 32. The wall post 32 may include ahollow threaded end in which the water supply 34 may attach into orwith.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate one embodiment of the handshower slide 20 withthe slide mechanism 70 and the handshower holder 50 movable andsecurable along the bar 30. The handshower holder 50 is connected to andsupported by the slide mechanism 70. The handshower holder 50 isrotatably securable with respect to the slide mechanism 70, as indicatedby arrows 52 and discussed in more detail later. The slide mechanism 70is biased toward a secured or locked position when no external force isbeing exerted on the handle 72. The slide mechanism 70 is supported bythe bar 30 and is at least partially located or concealed within the bar30. The slide mechanism 70 may slide and be secured along at least aportion of the length of the bar 30, allowing the position of thehandshower holder 50 to be adjusted relative to the bar 30.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the slide mechanism 70 may move between atleast two different positions, configurations, or orientations in orderto either adjust the position of the slide mechanism 70 or to secure theslide mechanism 70 along the bar 30. FIG. 4 depicts the slide mechanism70 in a secured or locked first position 22 in which the cam 92 of theslide mechanism 70 will be frictionally engaged with (e.g. wedged,lodged, etc. within) the bar 30 in order to stay in place along the bar30. FIG. 5 depicts the slide mechanism 70 in a movable or unlockedsecond position 24 in which the cam 92 of the slide mechanism 70 maymove or be moved along at least a length of the bar 30 to change theposition of the slide mechanism and the handshower holder 50 relative tothe bar 30.

By rotating a handle 72 (located at least partially outside of the bar30), the slide mechanism 70 may be moved between the locked position 22and the unlocked position 24. However, while there is no external forceon the handle 72, the slide mechanism 70 will automatically move to thelocked position 22. The handle 72 is directly or indirectly connected toa cam 92 (located at least partially within the bar 30), such that theorientation of the handle 72 (relative to the bar 30) directly affectsthe orientation of the cam 92. As the handle 72 is rotated, the cam 92is also rotated within the bar 30. Due to the geometry of the cam 92,rotating the cam 92 either increases or decreases a force exerted by thecam 92 to the inside of the bar 30 (the passageway 36). As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, the cam 92 has an oval shape. The cam 92 may be a varietyof other shapes, including oblong, etc. Therefore, moving the handle 72in a counter-clockwise direction presses the ends of the cam 92 outwardagainst the inside of the bar 30 and prevents the slide mechanism 70from moving. For example, FIG. 4 depicts the slide mechanism 70 in thelocked position 22, with the handle 72 pointed at around 30° to theright and the cam 92 relatively more perpendicular or angled to thelengthwise direction of the passageway 36 of the bar 30 (or relativelymore horizontal with respect to FIG. 4), increasing the force exerted bythe cam 92 on the passageway 36 and securing the slide mechanism 70along the length of the bar 30. The spring 82 may additionally generatea force to move the cam 92 further against the inside of the bar 30.More specifically, by moving the handle 72 toward the locked position22, the spring tension is reduced as the force of the cam 92 on thepassageway 36 increases to lock the slide mechanism 70 along thepassageway 36. The cam 92, therefore, secures the slide mechanism 70from within the bar 30.

Conversely, rotating the handle 72 in a clockwise direction moves theends of the cam 92 away from the inside walls of the bar 30 and eitherpartially or completely reduces the force exerted by the ends of the camagainst the inside of the bar 30, thereby allowing the slide mechanism70 to move freely along the length of the bar 30. For example, FIG. 5depicts the slide mechanism 70 in the movable or unlocked position 24,with the handle 72 pointed or rotated downward and the cam 92 rotatedaway from or relatively more parallel to the lengthwise direction of thepassageway 36 of the bar 30 (or relatively more vertical with respect toFIG. 5), reducing the force exerted by the cam 92 on the passageway 36and allowing the slide mechanism 70 to move freely. In the unlockedposition 24, the outside perimeter of the cam 92 either partially orcompletely disengages from the inside walls of the bar 30. For example,due to the rotation of the cam 92, there may be horizontal space or agap between either side of the cam 92 and the inside wall of the bar 30to allow the slide mechanism 70 to move freely in a vertical directionalong the bar 30 (with respect to FIG. 5). Moving the handle 72 towardthe unlocked position 24 increases the spring tension as the force ofthe cam 92 on the passageway 36 decreases to allow the slide mechanism70 to move (thereby biasing the handle 72 to move the cam 92 into thelocked position 22).

When there is no external force exerted on the handle 72 (e.g. when theuser purposefully or accidentally releases the handle 72), the slidemechanism 70 is biased to move to the locked position 22 due to aninternal spring 82, thus maintaining or holding the current position ofthe slide mechanism 70 and preventing the slide mechanism 70 fromfalling. As shown in FIGS. 6-10, the handle 72 and the base 90 mayadditionally be connected to the spring 82. The spring 82 may connectthe handle 72 to a movable body or base 90 of the slide mechanism 70 andmay hold the handle 72 in tension, such that the slide mechanism 70 isbiased to be in or rotate back into the locked position 22. For example,as shown in FIG. 8, the spring 82 may connect the handle 72 and base 90in such a way that the spring 82 preferably and automatically rotatesthe handle 72 (and therefore also the cam 92) into the locked position22 (e.g. in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5)in the absence of an external force. More specifically, the spring 82may move to a lower energy state and lower the spring tension by movingthe handle 72 to the locked position 22. Conversely, when the handle 72is moved to the unlocked position 24, the spring 82 is in a higherenergy state with a higher tension. The handle 72 may still be rotatedin a clockwise direction, by a user for example, to unlock and move theslide mechanism 70. The force exerted by the user on the handle 72 mayovercome the force exerted by the spring 82 to keep the slide mechanism70 in the locked position 22, thereby moving the slide mechanism 70 intothe unlocked position 24.

Therefore, if a user forgets to lock the slide mechanism 70 afteradjusting the position along the bar 30 while in the unlocked position24, the slide mechanism 70 with the handshower holder 50 will notfreefall to the ground or to the bottom of the bar 30. Instead, due tothe tension on the spring 82, the handle 72 (and cam 92) willautomatically move or rotate into the locked position 22, therebystopping the slide mechanism 70 from moving or sliding along the bar 30.The user may optionally move or rotate the handle 72 into the lockedposition 22 or further into a locked position 22 to firmly or manuallysecure the slide mechanism 70 along the bar 30, if desired (though thespring 82 may provide sufficient force to automatically and firmlysecure or engage the slide mechanism 70 along the bar 30). Further, ifany portion of the mechanism begins to fail (due, for example, tofatigue or slipperiness from soap, etc.), the user may firmly rotate(e.g. lift up on) the handle 72 to fully engage the slide mechanism 70along the bar 30.

A variety of springs may be used within the slide mechanism 70. Forexample, a torsion spring may be used, as shown in FIG. 6. However, itis anticipated that other springs, such as compression, tension, or leafsprings, may be used. It is further anticipated that other mechanisms,such as magnets, may be used within the slide mechanism 70 in additionto or instead of the spring 82. Additionally, different types of torsionsprings may be used. For example, the wire thickness, number and densityof coils, and the spring diameter may be adjusted in order to achievethe desired size, strength, and pound force within the slide mechanism70. It may be desired, for example, to use a spring with a max torque ofapproximately 7.8 in-lbs. in order to provide sufficient tension on thehandle 72 without requiring too much force from the user to operate theslide mechanism 70. The spring 82 may be constructed out of a variety ofmaterials, such as non-corrosive materials including but not limited tostainless steel or brass.

As shown in FIG. 9, the spring 82 may be at least partially housedwithin and connect with the hub of the handle 72 and may include springwings 84 at the ends of the spring 82. As shown in FIG. 10, the insideof the handle 72 may include a space or cavity to hold or house, as wellas attach with (via the crevice 74) the spring 82. The height of the hubof the handle 72 may, therefore, be at least partially dependent on thelength or height of the spring 82. The spring 82 may or may not directlyconnect with the cam 92. The spring wings 84 may be oriented in anyposition, orientation, and degrees of separation relative to each otherand the spring 82, according to the desired configuration. For example,as shown in FIG. 7B, the spring wing 84 may be bent at approximately 90°away from the spring coil and the central or lengthwise axis Y of thespring 82 or bent at approximately 90° away from the spring coil andparallel to the lengthwise axis Y, according to the desiredconfiguration. Further, the spring wings 84 may be separated byapproximately 30-40° (as shown in FIG. 7B) or any other amount of radialseparation. The length of the spring wings 84 may also be determined bythe desired configuration.

The spring wings 84 may allow the spring 82 to attach to the handle 72and the base 90. For example, the spring 82 may latch or lock into akeyway groove, slot, channel, hole, or crevice 74 within the inside ofthe hub of the handle 72 (shown in FIGS. 7C, 9, and 10) and into akeyway groove, slot, channel, hole, or crevice 91 within the base 90(shown in FIG. 7A). FIG. 8 depicts the spring wings 84 attached to thehandle 72 and the base 90. Attaching the spring wings 84 to both thehandle 72 and the base 90 may hold the spring 82 in coil tension inorder to bias the slide mechanism 70 to the locked position 22. As thespring 82 works to reduce the coil tension to go to a lower energystate, the handle 72 (and the cam 92) is rotated toward the lockedposition 22 and the cam 92 is pressed against the inside of the bar 30.

As shown in FIG. 6, the handshower slide 20 may include the handshowerholder 50 and the slide mechanism 70, each with correspondingattachments and components. The components of the handshower slide 20may be made with a variety of materials. However, in one embodiment, thebase 90, as well as the handle 72, the pin 54, the handshower holder 50,the slide mechanism 70, and the bar 30, may be constructed out of ametal, such as brass or zinc and further plated with a copper layerand/or a finish such as polished chrome, polished nickel, or bronze.

The slide mechanism 70, with the handshower holder 50, may be located onany side of the bar 30. For example, the slide mechanism 70 may directlycorrelate to the position of the elongated opening of the bar 30, may beon a different side from the elongated opening, or may be located onmultiple sides of the bar 30. The elongated opening, the slide mechanism70, and the handshower holder 50 may be located on the front, side,and/or back of the bar 30.

The handle 72 may be oriented and positioned anywhere relative to thebar 30 and the slide mechanism 70. For example, the handle 72 may belocated on the front, back or side of the bar 30. In order to transitionbetween the locked position 22 and the unlocked position 24, the handle72 may be configured to rotate in either direction and number of degreesof rotation, according to the desired configuration and to be bothaccessible and intuitive for the user. For example, although the handle72 is pointed downward in the unlocked position 24 (as shown in FIG. 5),the handle 72 may be configured to be in any radial direction orposition, such as to the left at 90° in the unlocked position 24.Additionally, any type of handle or activation mechanism may be used,including but not limited to knobs, levers, or pull handles. As shown inFIG. 10, the handle 72 may include an inner cavity to hold or house thespring 82 and a channel or crevice 74 to lock with the spring 82. Theteeth 76 may be used to connect or interlock with the cam 92.

The handle 72 may directly or indirectly connect with the cam 92. Forexample, the handle 72 and the cam 92 may interlock or index with eachother to provide a secure connection between the handle 72 and the cam92 and to effectively translate motion or rotation between the handle 72and the cam 92. More specifically, the handle 72 and the cam 92 mayinterlock with toothed spline and broach connection or complementaryteeth 76, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 6, 7A, 7C, and 8. As shown in FIGS. 6and 9, the handle 72 and the cam 92 may attached directly. Additionallyor alternatively, the handle 72 and the cam 92 may be attached by ascrew. Alternatively, the cam 92 and the handle 72 may optionally be onecontinuous piece or include multiple other pieces.

The handle 72 and the cam 92 may connect through a body or base 90. Forexample, the base 90 may include a hole 96 for at least a portion of thehandle 72 and/or the cam 92 to move through to interlock. The base 90may move with the slide mechanism 70 along the bar 30 and may provide asurface or area for the various components of the handshower slide 20 toattach to or with. As shown in FIG. 6, the base 90 may provide a surfaceor carriage for the handshower holder 50 and the slide mechanism 70, andtheir corresponding various components, to attach to and move with. Forexample, the base 90 may include a hole 96 for the handle 72 and the cam92 to fit within, a channel or crevice 91 for the spring to attach into,holes for screws to attach an inner slide 98 to the base 90, a hole fora screw to attach to the handshower holder, and a pin 54 to allow thehandshower holder 50 to rotate (as discussed later). The base 90 may beat least partially located on the outside of the bar 30 and at leastpartially visible to the user.

In order to prevent metal-on-metal rubbing (e.g. rubbing or wearing fromthe handle 72 and/or cam 92 moving or rotating along the inside of thebase 90) and provide smooth rotation between the handle 72 (and/or cam92) and the base 90, a bearing 86 may be positioned within the hole 96in the base 90, as shown in FIGS. 2, 6, 7A, and 8. The bearing 86 may beC-shaped in order to be compressed or squeezed to a smaller diameter tofit within the hole 96 and to expand outward once in place and maintainits position. The bearing 86 may include lips on either side extendingbeyond the diameter of the bearing 86 in order to maintain the positionwithin the hole 96. The bearing 86 may be a variety of differentmaterials, including but not limited to a plastic material, such as, forexample, acetal.

The cam 92 may be shaped and sized to fit at least partially within theinside of the bar 30 in the passageway 36. The cam 92, as shown, isshaped as an oval in order to more effectively engage along the insidewalls of the bar 30 when the slide mechanism 70 is in the lockedposition 22 and to avoid contact along the inside walls while the slidemechanism 70 is in the unlocked position 24 (thereby providing asmoother feel and reducing the friction or the necessary applied forceby the user in order to move the slide mechanism 70). The cam 92 may beconstructed out of a variety of materials, including metal or adense/hard plastic.

It is anticipated that a variety of different forces may be exertedalong the inside of the bar 30 (e.g. the passageway 36) by the cam 92,including a frictional force or magnetic force, in order to hold theslide mechanism 70 in place while in the locked position 22. While inthe locked position, the outside perimeter of the cam 92 or additionalfrictional components around the cam 92 (e.g. O-rings 94) are forcedagainst the inside of the bar 30 or the passageway 36 to provide alocking force and to hold the slide mechanism 70 in position along thebar 30. This locking force may be further augmented with a spring 82,such as a torsion spring, as discussed later. The cam 92, itself, may beconstructed out of a frictional material, such as rubber, in order togrip the inside of the bar 30.

Alternatively or additionally, components may be coupled with the cam 92and/or bar 30 to help the cam 92 effectively grip the inside of the bar30. For example, the cam 92 may include a frictional layer orcomponent(s) along the outside perimeter to increase the frictionbetween the cam 92 and the bar 30, such a rubber O-rings 94 or a rubberlayer/coating. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9 and for example, three O-rings94 may be attached to the outside perimeter of the cam 92 to interactwith, push against, and grip the inside of the bar 30 or the passageway36. However, it is anticipated that any number, shape, and width ofO-rings 94 may be used according to the desired configuration and toevenly distribute the force, to reduce fatigue, to reduce costs or mass,and/or to increase the amount of grip by increasing the surface areacontact. For example, one larger O-ring 94 may be surrounded by twosmaller O-rings 94. Alternatively or additionally, the bar 30 mayinclude a frictional layer, coating, or component(s). The O-rings 94, orother frictional components, may be made out of variety of frictional orgripping materials, such as rubber. With the additional grippingcomponents (e.g. the O-rings 94), the cam 92 may be constructed out ofhard plastic.

The slide mechanism 70 may further include an inner slide 98 that maymove at least partially within the passageway 36 of the bar 30, as shownin FIGS. 3 and 11. The inner slide 98 may anchor the slide mechanism 70inside the bar 30 and provide stability and smooth movement and feel forthe slide mechanism 70 as the slide mechanism 70 is moved along the bar30. For example, the inner slide 98 may keep the slide mechanism 70 inline with the passageway 36 and prevent the slide mechanism 70 fromwobbling or rocking in any direction with respect to the bar 30. Theinner slide 98 may be located with or near the cam 92 at least partiallywithin the bar 30. The inner slide 98 may optionally be integral orone-piece with the base 90 or may be a separate piece and attachedthrough a variety of different mechanisms, such as screws (as shown inFIG. 6). The inner slide 98 may be constructed out of a variety ofmaterials, including but not limited to metal or rigid, hard plastic.

The inner slide 98 may be long enough in order to provide stability, butshort enough to not limit the amount of potential travel for the slidemechanism 70 along the bar 30. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the innerslide 98 may include an arc at the lower end of the inner slide 98 inorder to provide clearance room for the cam 92 to rotate, while stillproviding stability along at least a portion of the length of the slidemechanism 70. By providing sufficient clearance room for the cam 92, thecam 92 may directly engage with the bar 30, thereby requiring less forceto engage or disengage the cam 92 and the passageway 36 and less forceto be exerted by the user on the end of the handle 72 to operate theslide mechanism 70. For example, in one embodiment, five pounds of forceor less may be required to operate the handle 72. Alternatively, theinner slide 98 may include wings 199, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. Thecam 92 may, for example, push out on the wings 199 in order to engageand lock the slide mechanism 70 with the passageway 36.

The angle of the handshower holder 50 (and therefore the angle of thehandshower water spray) may be adjusted relative to the slide mechanism70 and the bar 30 with a tilting mechanism, according to the desiredconfiguration. For example, as the slide mechanism 70 moves along thebar 30, the desired angle of water spray may change. As shown in FIGS.2, 11, and 12, the handshower holder 50 may be rotatably attached to theslide mechanism 70, and, more specifically, to the base 90. Thehandshower holder 50 may be rotated forward and backward (or up anddown) with respect to the bar 30 and/or the slide mechanism 70 in orderto change the angle of the spray of water. For example, as shown in FIG.2, the handshower holder 50 may be rotated in either direction, as shownby arrows 52.

According to one embodiment, the handshower holder 50 may not requireany knob or handle to be tightened or loosened in order to move orsecure the handshower holder 50. Instead, the handshower holder 50 maybe directly moved by the user to the desired angle. Due to internaltension in the handshower holder 50, the handshower holder 50 mayindependently or automatically maintain or secure the position the userhas moved the handshower holder 50 to with respect to the base 90. Asshown in FIGS. 6 and 12, a peg or pin 54 may be attached to or anchoredwithin the base 90 and movably inserted or locked into a groove or slot56 in the handshower holder 50. The pin 54 may move within the slot 56as the handshower holder 50 is rotated with respect to the base 90.Alternatively, the pin 54 may be attached to the base 90 and thehandshower holder may include a slot 56. The slot 56 may limit thedegree of rotational travel or range of motion to a desired range ineither direction by providing a stop on either end of the slot 56 forthe pin 54 hit in order to prevent further rotation. For example, theslot may allow for 30-40° of rotation. The pin 54 may be a variety ofcomponents, such as a set screw extending out of either the handshowerholder 50 or the base 90. According to another embodiment, the travellimiting feature may be accomplished with the pin anchored in handshowerholder 50 and inserted into a corresponding slot in the base 90.

The handshower holder 50 may be secured to the base 90 through a varietyof different mechanisms, including a screw 58, as shown in FIG. 6. Thescrew 58 may be inserted through the center of the slide mechanism 70and into the base 90. To prevent metal-on-metal rubbing and squeaking, abearing 59 may be inserted between the screw 58 and the handshowerholder 50. The bearing 59 may rotate around the screw 58 as thehandshower holder 50 is rotated. The bearing 59 may be, for example,round or c-shaped, according to the desired configuration. The bearing59 may further be constructed with a variety of materials, including butnot limited to a hard plastic, such as acetal. Additional components orfeatures, such as a glue or Loctite, may be used to help keep the screw58 in place over time.

In order to provide sufficient tension within the handshower holder 50to maintain the desired angle and to fix or hold the handshower holder50 in position, a spring 62 may be inserted between the handshowerholder 50 and the base 90. The spring 62 may optionally be surrounded bywashers 64. The washers 64 may be a variety of materials, including butnot limited to acetal. The screw 58 may be inserted through the spring62 and the washers 64 and tightened to the desired torque value,according to the desired resistance required to move the handshowerholder 50. As the screw 58 draws the handshower holder 50 toward thebase 90, the spring 62 is at least partially compressed or squeezed.Therefore, the spring 62 provides an opposite axial force against theforce of the screw 58, pushing the handshower holder 50 and the base 90apart, thereby resulting in an internal tension to maintain the positionof the handshower holder 50 and preventing the handshower holder 50 frominadvertently tilting or rotating freely.

A variety of different springs 62 may be used, wherein the spring 62provides an opposite outward force when compressed. For example, asshown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, a wave spring or washer may be used. Asshown in FIG. 13A, a “crest-to-crest” wave spring may be used or, asshown in FIG. 13B, a “single turn” wave spring may be used, according tothe desired thickness and outward exerted force. Alternatively, a cuppedspring, as shown in FIG. 6, or a spring washer may be used. As thespring 62 is flattened, the spring 62 exerts an axial force to expandback to its original configuration. Depending on the type andconfiguration of the spring 62, the spring 62 may be configured toprovide a large amount of outward force while having a relatively smallheight or length. The spring 62 may be constructed out of a variety ofmaterials, including but not limited to stainless steel.

The tilting mechanism of the handshower holder 50 may be used inconjunction with or separately from the slide mechanism 70. For example,the handshower holder 50 may be directly mounted to the shower wall andhave an adjustable angle, while not movable in the vertical direction.Alternatively, the slide mechanism 70 may be used separately from thetilting mechanism of the handshower holder 50. For example, thehandshower holder 50 may be moved vertically along the bar 30 withoutchanging the tilt or angle of the handshower holder 50 or including amechanism to change the tilt or angle.

In order to manufacture or assemble the handshower slide 20, the spring82 must be pre-tensioned in the handle 72 and anchored into the base 90as the slide mechanism 70 is being assembled into the bar 30. The springwings 84 may hook or lock into the base 90 and the handle 72 in such away as to pre-tension the spring 82 in order to be biased to move intothe locked position 22. In order to move the slide mechanism 70 at leastpartially into and along the bar 30, the handle 72 must be held in theunlocked position 24 to allow the cam 92 to freely move within the bar30 and to prevent the cam 92 from locking along the length of thepassageway 36. Holding the handle 72 in the unlocked position moves thesides of the cam 92 at least partially separate or detached from thepassageway 36 of the bar 30 to allow the slide mechanism 70 to movewithin the bar 30 and further pre-tensions the spring 82.

Once the slide mechanism 70 is positioned within the bar 30, the handle72 may be released to allow the slide mechanism 70 to stay in place. Thewall posts 32 may subsequently be assembled onto the bar 30 to trap theslide mechanism 70 along the length of the bar 30.

Further certain components must be properly aligned and oriented beforeinserting the slide mechanism 70 into the bar 30. For example, therelative angles or orientations of the handle 72 and the cam 92 must bepreset by correctly aligning the teeth 76 of the handle 72 and the cam92. More specifically, a certain spline tooth must align with a certainbroach notch during the assembly of the handle 72 to the cam 92. The cam92 may then be screwed into the handle 72 to maintain the relativepositioning as the slide mechanism 70 is inserted into the bar 30.

The handshower holder 50 may be assembled or attached onto the slidemechanism 70 before or after the slide mechanism 70 has been attached tothe bar 30, according to the desired configuration. In order to assemblethe handshower holder 50 onto the slide mechanism before attaching tothe bar 30, the relative positioning of the two spring wings 84 and thecorresponding crevices 74 and 91 may positioned specifically to preventthe handle 72 from interfering with (or rotating into) the handshowerholder 50 during assembly (while the handle 72 is being held in theunlocked position 24). For example, the spring wings 84 may be orientedsuch that the spring wings 84 are 180° away from each other in order forhandshower holder 50 to be installed onto the slide mechanism 70 beforethe slide mechanism is assembled onto the bar 30.

FIGS. 14-18 depict another embodiment of a handshower slide 120 with ahandshower holder 150 and a slide mechanism 170. A handle 172 may bedirectly or indirectly connected with a cam 192 through a base 190 ofthe slide mechanism 170. A spring 182 may fit within the handle 172 tocouple the handle 172 to the base 190 and to bias the handle 172 (andthereby the cam 192) toward the locked position 22, as describedpreviously. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the spring 182 may be at leastpartially concealed by the handle 172. As shown in FIG. 18, the spring182 may lock or latch into the handle 172 and the base 190. A bearing186 may be positioned between the handle 172 (and/or cam 192) and thebase 190 in order to prevent metal-on-metal rubbing, as shown in FIG.18. The base 190 may support or rotatably hold the handshower holder150, as described previously.

An inner slide 198 may be coupled to the base 190, either directly orindirectly, and may at least partially move within the bar 30 as theslide mechanism 170 is moved. The inner slide 198 may include wings 199at least partially extending around either side of the cam 192 withinthe bar 30. As the cam 192 is rotated into the locked position 22, thesides of the cam 192 press against the wings 199, which causes the wings199 to at least partially flex outward and transfer the force of the cam192 to the inside of the bar 30, thereby locking the slide mechanism 170in place. The wings 199 may further improve the stability and smoothslide feel of the slide mechanism 170 and minimize any undesirablenoises or sound (due to, for example, metal-on-metal contact) as theslide mechanism 170 is moved along the bar 30. The wings 199 may be madeout of a variety of materials with a different flexibility andstiffness, according to the desired force to be exerted by the cam 192to the inside of the bar 30. However, as described previously, the cam192 may directly interact and engage with the inside of the bar 30.

The cam 192 may be a variety of different shapes according to thedesired configuration and degree of grip and depending on the shapes andmaterials of the surrounding components, such as the bar 30 and theinner slide 198. For example, the cam 192 may be relatively morecircular (compared to cam 92), as shown in FIG. 17. The cam 192 may ormay not include additional frictional components, such as the O-rings94, depending on the surrounding material and the material of the cam192 itself. For example, the wings 199 or the passageway 36 of the bar30 may include additional frictional components or materials to engagewith the cam 192.

The embodiments disclosed herein allow a showerhead to be movably andautomatically secured along a bar. Besides those embodiments depicted inthe figures and described in the above description, other embodiments ofthe present invention are also contemplated. For example, any singlefeature of one embodiment of the present invention may be used in anyother embodiment of the present invention.

Given the disclosure of the present invention, one versed in the artwould appreciate that there may be other embodiments and modificationswithin the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, allmodifications attainable by one versed in the art from the presentinvention within the scope and spirit of the present invention are to beincluded as further embodiments of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An adjustable showerhead slide comprising: a barwith a passageway; a slide mechanism positioned along a length of thebar; a showerhead holder movable with the slide mechanism along thelength of the bar, wherein the slide mechanism comprises a handle and acam, wherein the cam is positioned within the passageway and isrotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation relativeto the bar, wherein the slide mechanism is not movable along the lengthof the bar while the cam is in the first orientation and is movablealong the length of the bar while the cam is in the second orientation,wherein an orientation of the cam is correlated to a position of thehandle; and a spring coupled to the handle and the cam, wherein thespring biases the cam toward the first orientation and away from thesecond orientation.
 2. The adjustable showerhead slide of claim 1,wherein the cam moves from the first orientation to the secondorientation when the handle moves the cam counter to a force of thespring.
 3. The adjustable showerhead slide of claim 1, wherein the camis frictionally engaged with the bar in the first orientation and notfrictionally engaged with the bar in the second orientation.
 4. Theadjustable showerhead slide of claim 1, wherein the slide mechanismincludes an inner slide positioned at least partially within thepassageway, wherein the handle is rotatably attached to the inner slide.5. The adjustable showerhead slide of claim 1, wherein the showerheadholder is rotatably attached to the slide mechanism.
 6. The adjustableshowerhead slide of claim 1, wherein the shower holder is automaticallysecurable in any radial position relative to the slide mechanism.
 7. Anadjustable shower slide comprising: a bar with a passageway; a slidemechanism positioned along a length of the bar; and a showerhead holdermovable with the slide mechanism along the length of the bar, whereinthe slide mechanism comprises a handle and a cam, wherein the cam ispositioned within the passageway and is rotatable between a firstorientation and a second orientation relative to the bar, wherein theslide mechanism is not movable along the length of the bar while the camis in the first orientation and is movable along the length of the barwhile the cam is in the second orientation, wherein an orientation ofthe cam is correlated to a position of the handle, wherein the cam isfrictionally engaged with the bar in the first orientation and notfrictionally engaged with the bar in the second orientation.
 8. Theadjustable showerhead slide of claim 7, wherein the cam is at leastpartially covered by a gripping material such that the gripping materialdirectly contacts the passageway of the bar when the cam is in the firstorientation.
 9. The adjustable showerhead slide of claim 7, furthercomprising a spring coupled to the handle and the cam, wherein thespring biases the cam toward the first orientation and away from thesecond orientation.
 10. The adjustable showerhead slide of claim 7,wherein the slide mechanism includes an inner slide positioned at leastpartially within the passageway, wherein the handle is rotatablyattached to the inner slide.
 11. The adjustable showerhead slide ofclaim 7, wherein the showerhead holder is rotatably attached to theslide mechanism.
 12. The adjustable showerhead slide of claim 7, whereinthe shower holder is automatically securable in any radial positionrelative to the slide mechanism.
 13. A showerhead holder assemblycomprising: a holder configured to hold a shower head, wherein theholder is rotatably attached to a support; an adjustment mechanismconfigured to allow the angle of the holder to be rotatably adjustedrelative to the support; and a securing mechanism configured toautomatically secure the holder in any radial position relative to thesupport, wherein an angle of a spray of water of the shower head isdependent on an angle of the holder relative to the support.
 14. Theshowerhead holder assembly claim 13, wherein the adjustment mechanismincludes one of a slot or a pin that interacts with the other of theslot and the pin on the support such that the pin is movable within theslot as the holder rotates relative to the support, wherein a range ofrotation of the holder relative to the support is determined by a radiallength of the slot.
 15. The showerhead holder assembly claim 13, whereinthe securing mechanism includes a compressive spring between the holderand the support, wherein the compressive spring is configured to pushthe holder and the support apart such that the holder does not rotatefreely relative to the support.
 16. The showerhead holder assembly claim13, further comprising a slide mechanism that is a support, wherein theslide mechanism is movable and securable along the length of a bar suchthat a position of the showerhead holder assembly along the length ofthe bar is adjustable.
 17. The showerhead holder assembly claim 16,wherein the slide mechanism includes a spring and a handle, wherein thespring is coupled to the handle and the cam, wherein the spring biasesthe cam toward the first orientation and away from the secondorientation.
 18. The showerhead holder assembly claim 16, wherein theslide mechanism includes a cam rotatable between a first orientation anda second orientation within a bar, wherein the slide mechanism is notmovable along the length of the bar while the cam is in the firstorientation and is movable along the length of the bar while the cam isin the second orientation.
 19. The showerhead holder assembly claim 18,wherein the cam is frictionally engaged with the bar in the firstorientation and not frictionally engaged with the bar in the secondorientation.
 20. The showerhead holder assembly claim 18, wherein theposition of the holder relative to the slide mechanism is independent ofan orientation of the cam.